Having a garden (and a lawn) is already stressful the way it is. Watering, mowing, keeping weeds at bay, and feeding your plants takes time and effort. But what if you also have to deal with attacks from pests?
Seeing all of your efforts go to waste overnight because animals attacked your garden can be sad. And if you have experienced this already, you know the feeling.
Gophers are the Worst
Gophers might look cute little creatures, but the day they start digging into your backyard, you’ll change your mind.
These rodents can be highly destructive! And if you have a problem with them in your yard, you should take measures to get rid of them as fast as possible.
If you are in this situation, don’t worry: we got your back. Here, we included all the tips to eliminate gophers from your yard. And because they live underground most of the time, knowing when do gophers come out of their holes can help you get suitable measures when you need to!
You can learn this (and much more) in this essential guide! Keep reading to find out all you must know about keeping gophers out of your yard.
What are Gophers?
Gophers are small rodents native to Central and North America. While they play a crucial role in the ecology of the ecosystem (their burrowing adds organic matter to the soil and increases aeration), these mammals can be a hassle to farmers and gardeners.
There are more than ten species of gophers in the United States, but they all have similar features. For instance, they are about 5 to 15 inches long and weigh up to two pounds.
Their fur is usually light brown, but you can also find black and white individuals. Many people confuse them with groundhogs, but they are smaller and lighter. Plus, groundhogs’ furs are grayish.
Gophers are herbivores and enjoy feeding on plants and fruits. When underground, they will eat roots of grasses, potatoes, tulips, carrots, alfalfa, and anything they can reach.
So, you can see how these cute animals can destroy a yard in little time. But they rarely venture out, making it hard for homeowners to get rid of them (and understand they are the reason for holes in your garden).
How to Keep Gophers Away from Your Property?
Gophers like to live under heavier soils: it gives them all they need to thrive and build their caves. Instead, sandier conditions might deter them from excavating. If your garden seems attractive to them, you might get a few gophers in your garden eating away your plants’ roots. And that’s not a pleasant experience.
When do gophers come out of their holes
But when do gophers come out of their holes? That’s a tricky question! These animals are active in the evening, and you might not notice them eating your favorite plants until you see a considerable amount of foliage missing.
But if you see mounts of fresh dirt around your yard, you can suspect it’s gophers! These rodents tend to leave their burrows when they need to push out dirt and gravel from their tunnels, move to a new space, or when they need to feed on plants that disturb their way. And the truth is that you might never see a gopher outside its nest unless you lure it out.
How to Deter Gophers from Living in Your Yard
One of the most effective ways to keep gophers out of your yard is to trap them. You can purchase special equipment for these animals, such as the Gopherhawk trapping set, which doesn’t require further digging.
Cover the traps with dirt and grass to entice gophers to get in and release the animals to another location (or contact animal control to have professionals handle the situation).
If you are experiencing frequent attacks from these pests, you might have to get your hands on repellents. You can use pet waste and castor oil to block their tunnels.
Be patient and move farther into the yard to lure gophers out of the premises. Pets also work great for scaring these mammals: consider letting your cat or dog do the job for you!
Also, consider installing a fence and extending it below the surface to keep these mammals out. You can also plant lavender, rosemary, and salvia to make your garden less attractive to gophers: they usually don’t like to feed on these plants! If the issue is severe, install an ultrasonic device: the vibrations will repel rodents to come to your property.
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